Pressurized container cap construction



Aug. 20, 1968 w. w. PETERS 3,397,822

PRESSURIZED CONTAINER CAP CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 25, 1965 IINVENTOR.

h flLL/ME W- PETE/PS mam ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,397,822 PRESSURIZED CONTAINER CAP CONSTRUCTION Wallace W. Peters, Sayreville, N.J., assignor to Colgate- Palmolive Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 25, 1965, Ser. No. 482,369 3 Claims. (Cl. 222-40213) This invention relates to a pressurized container cap construction and, more particularly, it relates to a finger operable actuator cap assembly for a pressurized container.

Broadly stated, the cap of the present invention relates to a finger operable actuator cap assembly for a pressurized container having a discharge means at one end thereof, said cap assembly comprising a hollow body open at its bottom and adapted to enclose the discharge end of said container through co operative engagement with the container and its discharge means, a valve-operating member mounted within said body so as to be accessible for actuating said discharge means without removing the cap assembly, said valve-operating member having a discharge passage with an inlet-end in co-operative communication with said discharge means and an outlet-end, a pair of curvilinear depressions in the top peripheral portion of said cap assembly and in the vicinity of, but not including, said valve-operating member, said curvilinear depressions being positioned sufiiciently close to the valveoperating member so as to provide a transverse cradletype rest for a finger whereby a slight pressure applied by the ball of the finger will depress the valve-operating member for the material contained in said pressurized container to be discharged therefrom.

In accordance with the present invention, the cap is constructed so that a pair of finger depressions are selectively positioned on the top peripheral portion of the cap assembly in order to provide a transverse finger rest wherein the ball or joint of the finger may be positioned in contact with a valve-operating member. Accordingly, the peripheral curvilinear co-ordinates of the cap are formed so that the finger will fit in a cradle and can readily operate the valve-operating member by slight pressure in order that the material of the pressurized container may be easily discharged into the atmosphere.

The present actuator cap assembly is useful in the administration of such pressurized aerosol fluent materials as personal deodorants, room sprays, room deodorants, aerosol shave creams, waxes, paints and the like. The cap assembly is especially advantageous in having a superior accuracy for administrating spray aerosols applied to the body since it allows a wide diversification of hand movement. The ability to use the entire finger to control the device, instead of just finger tip depression, and other structural features and advantages will become apparent from the reference to the following detailed description of the invention, as presently contemplated, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a broken side view, partially in section, showing the actuator cap structure of the present invention according to a preferred embodiment installed on a conventional type pressurized dispensing container and with a finger posted in operating position;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the cap assembly of FIGURE 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are rear perspective views of the cap assembly of FIGURE 1 showing the ambidexterity of the cap structure.

Referring to the drawings wherein similar reference characters are used to designate identical parts, the actuator cap assembly is mounted on a standard type pressurized dispenser container 10.

Patented Aug. 20, 1968 The container 10 comprises a rigid, usually sheet metal can body 11 closed at its top by a domed cover member 12 which has its periphery clenched tightly around the can body by a stiff formed bead 13. In the disclosed embodiment, the cover member 12 supports a valve assembly. The valve assembly comprises a valve or mounting cup 14 having a rim 15 crimped, or adapted to be crimped, to a bead surrounding an opening in the dome cover member 12 of the container 10. The valve assembly is provided with a discharge valve housing (not shown) and a discharge valve stem (valve control member) 16 having the discharge passage 17. The lower end of the can body 11 is closed by a bottom cover (not shown) clenched tightly thereupon by a bead such as that at 13. The can body 11 and both top and bottom covers form a relatively stiff enclosure adapted to contain a mixture of liquid and vapor under considerable internal pressure.

The valve control member 16 (FIG. 1) is spring biased upwardly from the center of domed upper cover 12 so that it is reciprocable axially of body 11. This valve control member 16 is of known construction and the manner of mounting it within the container is also known. A small depression of the element 16 toward the interior of the container, downwardly in FIGURE 1, will result in opening a valve (not shown) inside the container to permit discharge of the container contents through passage 17. Any valve control element and valve mechanism may be used with the actuator cap assembly of the present invention.

It is to be understood that although the pressurized dispensing device shown in FIGURES 1-4 utilizes a container having a discharge valve of the type utilizing a vertical reciprocating valve stem, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that this container and cap construction can be easily modified to actuate valves utilizing tilting valve stems. The actuation of a tilting valve would take place in a similar manner by the movement of the tilt valve through a small angle in the vertical plane. Valve control elements and valve mechanisms are well known and the invention is not to be construed as limited to any particular valve control element and/ or valve mechanism.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that other and different forms of containers may be employed with the present invention. The container and the valve assembly may be constructed of any suitable material such as metal, glass, plastic or the like. Preferably, at least the upper end of valve control element 16 is a nylon or like hollow cylindrical tube.

The cap assembly 20 consists essentially of only two parts, a cap 21 which may be an integral molded member of polyethylene or a similar relatively stiff but resilient plastic and a valve-operating member which may be either an integral part of the cap assembly or separate and distinct from the cap assembly. In the interest of simplicity for illustrating the use of the presently preferred apparatus, the valve-operating member 41 as shown in the drawings, is of the integral type.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the cap 21 has a pair of annular and concentric, spaced outer and inner walls in the form of depending skirts 22, 23 extending from the top portion 25. They are adapted to provide a snap-on cap for the container 10. The inner wall 23 is provided with an internal detent bead 24 at its lower end so as to engage with the crimped rim 15 of the valve or mounting cap 14 in a snap-fit for the purpose of frictionally holding the cap assembly 2% on the container 10. The outer wall 22 of the cap 21 rests adjacent to the domed cover member 12 and within the annular bead 13 of the container 10.

The peripheral top portion 25 of the cap 21 includes the arcuate portion 26 and the segment 27 with finger depressions 28 and 29 provided therebetween. As shown in the drawings, the finger depressions 28 and 29 have concave curvilinear co-ordinates with the aperture 30 separating the depressions,-Within the aperture 30 is the valveoperating member 40. Thus, the top portion 25 consists of the frontal arcuate portion 26 and the rear segment 27 with a pair of finger depressions 28 and 29, formed by curvilinear depressions of the top portion of the cap, and an aperture 30 between the front and rear portions so as to provide a transverse cradle-type rest for a finger therebetween.

The valve-operating member 40 is provided with a discharge passageway 41 having an inlet-end 42 (FIG. 1) and an outlet-end 43 (FIG. 2). The inlet-end 42 is adapted to engage or mate with the upper portion of the discharge valve stem 16 through frictional fit with a socket 44 of the inlet-end 42.

In the embodiment shown, the valve-operating member 40 is formed as an integral part of the assembly within the aperture 30 of the cover-cap portion by means of hinge connections 45 and 46. However, it is not necessary to have the valve-operating member integrally mounted to provide a one-piece assembly. Alternatively, the valveoperating member may be separately mated with the discharge valve stem so as to be positioned within the aperture of the cover-cap whereby a two-piece assembly is provided.

For either the one-piece assembly or the two-piece assembly an important feature of the cap assembly structure is that finger depressions 28 and 29 are transversely positioned on both sides of the valve-operating member 40 so that the depressions are advantageously curved to conveniently fit a finger such as the index finger from either the right or left hand. The curvilinear co-ordinates of finger depressions 28 and 29 are disposed so that they provide a finger rest on either side of the valve-operating member 40. They are flared so as to provide adequate finger breadth whereby the ball of the finger can readily depress the valve-operating member. While finger depressions 28 and 29 are illustrated concavely in the drawings, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the curvilinear angles can be modified such as by inclining the curvilinear planes downwardly, upwardly or toward the button.

The cap assembly 20 can be constructed of any desired material, or combination of materials, such as rigid or semi-rigid plastic materials, metallic materials, or the like. Preferably, the cap assembly (including the valve-operating member 40 portion) will be a semi-rigid molded plastic such as polyethylene or like material which provides a relatively stifi but resilient structure.

The cap assembly 20 is made apart from the container and is mounted upon the top of the container. Any suitable snap-on fit may be used between the lower open end of the cap body and the container top. Other than the two wall structures shown in FIGURE 1, some typical snap-on fitments include cap bodies having a single wall with a flexible undercut lip structure so as to provide a removable snap-on friction fit for engaging the annular bead 13 of the container.

To assemble the cap assembly 20 and the container 10, the open end of the inner wall 23 of the cap 21 is snapped onto the rim of the container 10. This automatically aligns the valve stem 16 with the valve discharge member so that the valve stem will be received within the socket 44 of the inlet-end 42 of the valve discharge passageway 41. Thus, the valve-operating member 40 rests upon the hollow valve stem 16, without actuating the valve, since the weight of the member 40 is slight in comparison to the spring bias of the valve member. Accordingly, there is no depression of the discharge valve stem 16 until the valveoperating member 40 is depressed whereby the socket 44 correspondingly depresses the valve stem 16. Where a two-piece assembly is being utilized, the valve-actuating member will be slidably axially mounted upon the valve stem and the cover cap snap fitted so that the valve-actuating member is positioned within the aperture 30, and in alignment with finger depressions 28 and 29 so that a finger can actuate the valve from either side.

The manner in which the device of the present invention is used will depend in part upon the product administered. To use the assembled container for administering a personal deodorant to the axillae, the operator merely picks up the container with a finger positioned in depression 29 as shown in FIGURES l and 4, points the outlet-end 43 toward an axilla and depresses the valve-operating member 40 whereby the valve-stem 16 moves sufficiently to open the discharge valve so that the contents will discharge under pressure. Release of the member 40 by the operator restores the parts to their original position. For administering a dosage to the other axilla, the operator merely switches hands and follows the same procedure using the other depression 28 (FIG. 3) to allow transverse actuation of the valve.

The effective ambidexterity of the container by means of the structure of the invention greatly facilitates and improves the dispensing of pressurized products since the cap can receive the finger of either hand more conveniently and uniformly. The ability to use and control the device with either hand not only facilitates rapid switching of hands, but also contributes to superior accuracy in the administration of aerosol sprays to the human body as well as on inanimate objects or into space. Thus, the user can easily operate the device, and a more satisfactory method of use is achieved since the awkwardness of finger tip depression applied from the rear of an aerosol container is no longer a problem.

While the upper ends, i.e. the arcuate portion 26 and the peripheral segment 27, of the caps top portion 25 are characterized by a downwardly extending concave structure, they could be sloping, or in any corresponding shape, provided finger depressions like, or similar to, 28 and 29 are present in all embodiments.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated by reference to certain specific embodiments of the invention representing the modes presently contemplated for carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that modifications and variations in structure and materials of construction may be made without departing from the principles and true scope of the invention as defined in the claims hereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A finger-operable actuator cap assembly for a pressurized container, said actuator cap assembly having a front, a back and two sides, and comprising a hollow downwardly open body having a top wal portion with a central aperture therein and front and rear top wall segments, said front, back and two sides forming a substantially cylindrical sidewall portion having an upper edge integral with said top wall portion and a lower edge in contact with said pressurized container, a valve actuating means mounted within said aperture, said valve actuating means including a conduit positioned to receive product from said valve as it is dispensed and to direct the product being dispensed from said pressurized container towards the front and upwardly of said actuator cap assembly, said top wall portion being shaped to form a pair of complementary symmetrical depressions extending transversely outwardly on each side of said valve actuating means, said symmetrical depressions being of a size to readily fully receive and position a finger of the user from either side of the cap assembly and the top of said valve actuating means being positioned horizontally below said upper edge of said substantially cylindrical sidewall and horizontally above the bottom of the symmetrical depressions whereby the user can apply slight pres sure with the ball of said finger to operate the valve actuator means.

2. The finger operable actuator cap assembly according to claim 1 wherein the valve actuating means is axially hingedly connected to the aperture wall of the cap assem- 5 6 bly but otherwise unattached to said Wall, so that all parts OTHER REFERENCES of the cap assembly are integral with one another.

3. A finger operable actuator cap assembly according Montgomery Ward Spring & Summer catalog 1962 to claim 1 wherein the cap has means to provide a removable snap-on fit with the discharge end of the container 5 General Electric CO, HOW To Care for Iron (from and for supporting the cap on said container. backcover,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner.

3,269,614- 8/1966 Abplanalp 222-394 10 

1. A FINGER-OPERABLE ACTUATOR CAP ASSEMBLY FOR A PRESSURIZED CONTAINER, SAID ACTUATOR CAP ASSEMBLY HAVING A FRONT, A BACK AND TWO SIDES, AND COMPRISING A HOLLOW DOWNWARDLY OPEN BODY HAVING A TOP WALL PORTION WITH A CENTRAL APERTURE THEREIN AND FRONT AND REAR TOP WALL SEGMENTS, SAID FRONT, BACK AND TWO SIDES FORMING A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL SIDEWALL PORTION HAVING AN UPPER EDGE INTEGRAL WITH SAID TOP WALL PORTION AND A LOWER EDGE IN CONTACT WITH SAID PRESSURIZED CONTAINER, A VALVE ACTUATING MEANS MOUNTED WITHIN SAID APERTURE, SAID VALVE ACTUATING MEANS INCLUDING A CONDUIT POSITIONED TO RECEIVE PRODUCT FROM SAID VALVE AS IT IS DISPENSED AND TO DIRECT THE PRODUCT BEING DISPENSED FROM SAID PRESSURIZED CONTAINER TOWARDS THE FRONT AND UPWARDLY OF SAID ACTUATOR CAP ASSEMBLY, SAID TOP WALL PORTION BEING SHAPED TO FORM A PAIR OF COMPLEMENTARY SYMMETRICAL DEPRESSIONS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OUTWARDLY ON EACH SIDE OF SAID VALVE ACTUATING MEANS, SAID SYMMETRICAL DEPRESSIONS BEING OF A SIZE TO READILY FULLY RECEIVE AND POSITION A FINGER OF THE USER FROM EITHER SIDE OF THE CAP ASSEMBLY AND THE TOP OF SAID VALVE ACTUATING MEANS BEING POSITIONED HORIZONTALLY BELOW SAID UPPER EDGE OF SAID SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL SIDEWALL AND HORIZONTALLY ABOVE THE BOTTOM OF THE SYMMETRIAL DEPRESSIONS WHEREBY THE USER CAN APPLY SLIGHT PRESSURE WITH THE BALL OF SAID FINGER TO OPERATE THE VALVE ACTUATOR MEANS. 